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Additional sensors for dynamic HVAC (Score: 1)

Its really sad how expensive a quality HVAC thermostat system is. I found one Honeywell system that would actually maybe kinda do something smart, but it would be in the thousands of dollars price point, and intended for commercial applications.

What is needed is:

A system of thermostats that all talk to each other and wirelessly control floor vents. So if the room where the thermostat is is not representative of the whole house, additional thermostats can be paired to give the system more data points to consider. With optional computer controlled vents, the system can further be optimized.

This was my hope for Nest. But years later, there has been no improvement. there is no algorithm that will solve a problem for which there is only incomplete input data.

Re: Additional sensors for dynamic HVAC (Score: 2, Insightful)

A system of thermostats that all talk to each other and wirelessly control floor vents.

Maybe I misunderstand your idea, but it sounds like you want an ultra-high-tech system that can be more easily solved by an inexpensive low-tech one. Much like those smartphone controlled LED lights, when a switch or motion-sensor does the job just as well...

It's very easy and not too expensive to slice-up a home HVAC system into multiple zones that work independently. You can have a fairly low-tech (possibly wireless) thermostats in several rooms, if you so desire, controlling the damper for that zone. What's more, inexpensive mini-split systems are naturally zoned this way, too.

And that's more-expensive and more complex than most homes need... A wireless thermostat that can be put in the coldest or warmest room of the house is cheap, and basic mechanical dampers can be used to reduce the airflow in other rooms/zones which heat/cool more quickly.